The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strike — John Shaqi
The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strikeBurns, W. F.
History
The Pullman boycott : $b A complete history of the great R. R. strike
Burns, W. F.
Pullman Strike, 1894
The situation at Hammond, Ind., would compare favorably with Chicago in
so far as the wanton shooting of innocent citizens was concerned. The
town had become infested with a gang of toughs from Chicago, who
overturned a number of box cars and blocked the passage of trains. About
noon of July 8th, the U. S. troops arrived, and their appearance
attracted large crowds of citizens on the streets, in the vicinity of
the railroad tracks. The troops who were ensconced in passenger cars
were being hauled up and down the track, when a gang of toughs attempted
to overturn a Pullman coach. The soldiers, who could easily have left
the coaches and placed the lawbreakers under arrest opened fire, but
strange to say these sharpshooters, under instructions to shoot to kill,
did not wound even one of the lawless rioters. Not so, however, with the
citizens who were walking along the street and had no connection
whatever with the mob. Charles Fleischer, who lived near with his wife
and five children, walked down the street in search of his little son,
when without a moment's warning he fell to the ground a corpse pierced
with a law and order bullet. This man had no connection whatever with
the riot nor even with the strike.
Miss Flemming, of Chicago, who was visiting friends in Hammond was on
the street when the shooting occurred and was seriously injured by a
shot in the knee. Wm. Campbell, Victor Dizuttner and an unknown man were
also shot and seriously injured by the regulars without the slightest
provocation.
These people had no connection with the rioters, were citizens of
Hammond, and not on railroad property.
Bullets crashed through frame walls, and I was told by a man whose head
was grazed by a bullet while in his room, that nothing short of a
miracle saved many persons from being shot down in their own dwellings.
Mayor Reily whose anger knew no bounds, after the killing rushed to the
telegraph office and wired Governor Matthews, asking if martial law had
been proclaimed. I should like to know, he said, by what authority the
U. S. troops come to our city and shoot down our citizens without the
slightest warning.
Immediately after the fatal occurrence, A. Shields and Dr. F. E. Bell,
representing the citizens of Hammond, wired Governor Matthews the
following message: "Federal troops shooting down citizens promiscuously
and without provocation. Cannot something be done to protect citizens?
Act quickly."
The governor replied that he had sent troops to restore order, enforce
law, and protect lives of law abiding citizens. Lawlessness and rioting
must be suppressed. Citizens obeying law had nothing to fear.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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